THE PLANETS, ARE THEY INHABITED ? 



such as is represented in fig. 1, appeared as a broken and 

 uneven line. 



We have selected from the telescopic drawings made on that 

 occasion by M. Schmidt, four, which are shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7. 

 These are intended only to represent the appearances of the edge 

 of the rings, and not of the streaks on the disk of the planet. 



Fig. 4 represents the ring as seen on the 26th June. 



Fig. 5 ,, ,, 3rd Sept. 



Fig. 6 5th Sept. 



Fig. 7 llth Sept. 



7. This singular appearance must arise from great mountainous 

 inequalities on the surface of the ring, rendering it much thicker 

 at some parts than at others. At some parts it is too thin to 

 be visible at Saturn's distance, while at the parts rendered 

 thicker by lofty mountains, it is apparent. 



8. The breadth of the rings, as well as of the intervals which 

 separate them from each other and from the planet, have been 

 submitted to very precise micrometric observations ; and the 

 results obtained by different observers do not differ from each 

 other by a fortieth part of the whole quantity measured. In the 

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